UConn Honors Seniors, Then Hammers Memphis, 87-24

UConn defeated Memphis 87-24 in an AAC women's basketball game Saturday at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs. It was Senior Day, so seniors Kiah Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis were honored in a pregame ceremony.

STORRS — There are your average game days. UConn has 30 of them this regular season. They carry the program purposely from November to March. But let's admit, it's been hard to tell one from the other since the predatory Huskysaurus started terrorizing the Earth 20 years ago.

Then there are days like Saturday at Gampel Pavilion, when the game itself is pushed deeply into the background by more dramatic circumstances and events. Give thanks for these small blessings in this season of submission in the American Athletic Conference.

So let's get this out of the way at the top: Led by Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (21) and Breanna Stewart, who combined for 41 points and were 16-for-26 from the field, UConn defeated Memphis 87-24 before a sellout crowd that began the day watching KML's adorable 4-year-old brother, Xander, with his bow tie and sharp vest, run into the grandfatherly arms of coach Geno Auriemma during Senior Day ceremonies.

"Coach is already a softy when it comes to little kids," Mosqueda-Lewis said.

Yes, that was the Kodak moment that everyone who saw it would remember much longer than most of what followed.

The win was UConn's 27 straight this season, its 35th straight in regular season play in the AAC since its birth two years ago.

"It's been incredible to be able to continue something that began for us in the Big East," Mosqueda-Lewis said.

And now, here's what else happened:

With the victory, UConn (28-1, 17-0) wrapped up its second straight AAC regular season championship, its 21st dating to the good old days of the Big East. The Huskies will open the AAC's postseason tournament with a semifinal game on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The program and fans said goodbye, in a ceremonial sense, to seniors Mosqueda-Lewis and Kiah Stokes on Senior Day. They will be back here in three weeks with their teammates to play first- and most likely second-round NCAA Tournament games.

UConn Women Senior Day

The UConn women's basketball team honored seniors Kiah Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis before their final regular season home game at Gampel Pavilion.

The UConn women's basketball team honored seniors Kiah Stokes and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis before their final regular season home game at Gampel Pavilion.

During the pregame ceremony, Mosqueda-Lewis' No. 23 was added to the Huskies of Honor wall, the 16th player in program history to receive the honor. In doing so, she joins Maya Moore, from whom she inherited the number after the four-time All-American's career ended with the 2011 Final Four.

With 18:46 remaining in the first half, Mosqueda-Lewis became the eighth player in program history to score 2,000 points when she drained the second of her five three-pointers. Poetically, it was assisted by Stokes, who had five of UConn's 27.

"That was great," said Stokes, who had nine rebounds, three blocked shots, five assists but just four points in 31 minutes. "It shows a part of what we've been through together. I'm glad to have had a part in that."

And here's a historical milestone you don't see very often: KML also scored her 1,000th point on Senior Day when she was a sophomore, as did senior Kelly Faris.

"You could tell by the way the game started that she wanted to get it [the 2,000 points] out of the way," Auriemma said. "I don't know what kind of discussion she had with anyone about it, but it was clear she wasn't going to waste a lot of time doing it.

"I'm glad she played well and got a lot done. That's what you want for a player on Senior Day, to make sure they feel good about themselves when they go home."

The first of Stokes' blocks was the 300th of her career. It also ignited a 31-0 run over 10:37 — UConn's longest of the season — that took the Huskies from a 10-4 lead to a 41-4 laugher. The run was so long, someone should have put a laurel wreath on Auriemma's head when it was done.

Stokes (302 blocks) is now just the fourth player in program history to top the 300 mark, joining first-team All-Americans Rebecca Lobo, Kara Wolters and Tina Charles. She also has 124 this season, seven behind Lobo's single-season mark (131) set in 1993-94.

"I knew I needed just one block to get to 300, but it wasn't my focus," Stokes said. "I just wanted to make sure they didn't score against me. I always feel like if I blocked the shot I have done my job."

It was quite the day, certainly more compelling than the event it was built around. Memphis was 4-for-30 from the floor in the first half, 11-for-57 in the game. Its best scorer, Ariel Hearn, was 3-for-20 from the field and 1-for-9 from three. She led her team in scoring — with seven points.

The Tigers (13-15, 7-10) were outrebounded 52-22 and outscored 52-10 in the paint and 25-8 off turnovers. And aside from watching UConn turn the ball over 17 times, the Tigers did nothing to quell the attack after trailing 3-2 in the first minute.

Mosqueda-Lewis was 5-for-7 from three in the first half. Stewart was 8-for-14 from the field. Both played just seven minutes in the second half. They scored 38 of UConn's first 54 points, looking like unstoppable All-Americans every step of the way.

Freshman Gabby Williams also picked up her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Moriah Jefferson, who will share the Senior Day stage next season with Stewart, had 12 points, six assists and three steals.